Almost 50% of people aged 12-21 are not vigorously active on a daily basis. Starting a fitness journey can be difficult if you’re not motivated.
Knowing how to motivate yourself to exercise and eat well can be a challenge, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can develop a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. If you find yourself losing motivation after time and returning to old habits, then read on for some help.
Re-Evaluate Your Wellness Choices
Most of us understand the important reasons behind healthy eating habits and exercise, but keeping this up long-term can become hard. Asking yourself the following questions can clarify your goals and hopefully set realistic ones that you will be able to incorporate into your current routine:
- What is really important in this stage of your life, and how will having a good exercise routine and healthy eating habits contribute to it?
- What worked well and why?
- What was hard to stick to and why?
- How can you fit this new lifestyle and schedule into your current one without setting yourself up for failure due to unrealistic expectations?
It’s important that you consider your current lifestyle and find a way to add exercise naturally. For example, if you are not an early riser, going to the gym before work won’t be a realistic outcome for you to stick to.
Start Small
Do not make several changes to your exercise and eating routines all at once. This can be overwhelming and hard to adhere to. Instead, consider your current life and challenges regarding time, finances, etc., before adding changes.
Decide on personal goals that are meaningful to you and will improve your overall quality of life. This can be anything from needing to feel more energized to improving or regaining physical strength.
Work at finding a routine that can fit into your current lifestyle. Exercising and preparing healthy meals will require additional time from you; work out where you can naturally include some of these activities without adding extra pressure on your resources and time.
You can use weekends as prep days for healthy meals and cook in bulk. The cooking time you save during the week by doing this can then be used for exercising. It takes about 30 days to establish new habits, do this slowly without causing too much upheaval to your current lifestyle.
Find Activities That You Enjoy
Going to the gym may not be something that you enjoy. What about swimming, biking, dog walking, hiking, dancing, or yoga? If you find an activity you like, you will have a much better chance of keeping to your resolution to exercise regularly.
If you force yourself to do physical activities that you despise, chances are you’ll drop them after a month or two.
Eating Well Made Easy
A healthy diet improves your quality of life on many levels. Start with small, achievable goals. Keep making changes as needed, but only add a few at once.
Planning your meals will ensure a balanced and nutritious diet. Preparing meals at home allows for control over ingredients and cooking methods. Add more fruit and vegetables as they are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Choose whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa instead of refined grains, as they have added fiber and nutrients. Also, stay clear of processed foods. They are often high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and sodium.
Be mindful of portion sizes. Use smaller plates or bowls to dish up your food and be alert to your body’s signals of hunger or fullness.
Drink enough water and avoid soda, fruit juices, and energy drinks. Your body will benefit greatly on different levels from this.
One of the best things you can do is make eating intentional. Slow down and enjoy every bite of your food.
Mix It Up
Keeping to the same exercise routines and meals can quickly become tedious. Instead, try new ways to work out and experiment with recipes, adding variety and spice to your new lifestyle. Keeping it simple and wholesome is a good way to go.
If you’re unsure where to start, look at free resources and videos to guide you.
Buddy Up
If you’re struggling to stick to your routine, consider finding a workout partner or joining a group. Exercising with others is fun and will excite you to start the activity. In addition, you can hold one another accountable, provide mutual support and celebrate new goals and achievements together.
Reward Yourself
Hard work and determination must be rewarded. Consider treating yourself after consistent adherence to your exercise and eating goals. You can decide when and what, but remember; the reward must also align with your goals!
Find Motivation Within
Reflect on the reasons why you started this journey. Focus on its positive impacts and remind yourself of this to stay motivated.
Create a vivid mental image of your desired outcome and revisit it regularly. This can reinforce your motivation and help you overcome challenges.
Remember that setbacks are part of the journey. Acknowledge relapses without dwelling on them and refocus on your goals. Be patient with yourself; every step matters in this journey.
Know How to Motivate Yourself
When it comes to exercise and eating healthy, it’s important that you know how to motivate yourself. It isn’t an easy process, as building healthy eating and exercise habits takes time. The biggest thing to remember is that this is a journey, don’t punish yourself if you skip a day or eat something you didn’t initially plan to eat.
